Dravidian · Tamil
Tamilதமிழ்
78M speakers · South Asia
250 terms
vanakkam
Hello (Vanakkam)
The iconic Tamil greeting, said with palms joined.
nalamaa
How are you?
Asking if someone is well; the reply is nalam, I am well.
nalam
Well-being; fine
Wellness; the standard reply to nalama.
kaalai vanakkam
Good morning
A morning greeting, literally morning salutation.
iravu vanakkam
Good night
An evening or night greeting.
poi varugiren
Goodbye (I'll go and return)
The beautiful Tamil farewell — never just go, always go and come back.
meendum sandhippom
See you again
A warm farewell, literally we will meet again.
nandri
Thank you
The standard expression of gratitude.
paravaayillai
It's okay; no problem
The easy-going reply to thanks or apologies — also means not bad!
mannikkavum
Sorry; excuse me
A polite apology, also used to get someone's attention.
aam
Yes
An affirmative answer; spoken Tamil often says aamaa.
illai
No; not
A negative answer; also negates sentences.
sari
Okay; right
The all-purpose Tamil word for okay, fine, correct.
en peyar
My name is
Used to introduce yourself; en peyar ... .
sandhithathil magizhchi
Nice to meet you
Said when meeting someone, literally joy in having met.
nalvaravu
Welcome
Used to welcome guests, literally good arrival.
vaazhthukkal
Congratulations; best wishes
Wishes of blessing for birthdays, weddings, and success.
enakku puriyavillai
I don't understand
A useful phrase for learners when something is unclear.
ondru
One
The number one.
irandu
Two
The number two.
moondru
Three
The number three.
naangu
Four
The number four.
ainthu
Five
The number five.
aaru
Six
The number six; the same word also means river!
ezhu
Seven
The number seven.
ettu
Eight
The number eight.
onbathu
Nine
The number nine.
pathu
Ten
The number ten.
nooru
Hundred
The number one hundred.
aayiram
Thousand
The number one thousand; Tamil literature spans two thousand years.
indru
Today
The present day.
naalai
Tomorrow
The day after today.
netru
Yesterday
The day before today.
ippothu
Now
At the present moment.
mani
Hour; o'clock; bell
An hour or the time; also means a bell.
nimidam
Minute
A period of sixty seconds.
vaaram
Week
A period of seven days.
varudam
Year
A period of twelve months; the Tamil year starts with Puthandu in April.
kudumbam
Family
A group of people related by blood or marriage.
amma
Mother
Mother — the first and dearest Tamil word.
appa
Father
Father.
annan
Older brother
An older brother; also a respectful address for older men.
akka
Older sister
An older sister; also a respectful address for older women.
thambi
Younger brother
A younger brother; also a friendly address for younger men.
thangai
Younger sister
A younger female sibling.
magan
Son
A male child.
magal
Daughter
A female child.
thatha
Grandfather
The father of your parent.
paatti
Grandmother
The mother of your parent; paatti's cooking is legendary.
kanavar
Husband
The man a woman is married to.
manaivi
Wife
The woman a man is married to.
kuzhandhai
Child; baby
A young child or baby.
nanban
Friend
A person you know well and like; a female friend is thozhi.
aan
Man; male
An adult male person.
pen
Woman; female; girl
An adult female person, or a girl.
aasiriyar
Teacher
A person who teaches.
thanneer
Water
The clear liquid essential for life; spoken Tamil says thanni.
theneer
Tea
Tea, literally honey-water; everyday Tamil just says tea.
kaapi
Coffee
Filter kaapi in a steel tumbler — a South Indian institution.
saadham
Cooked rice
Cooked rice, the staple of every Tamil meal.
idli
Idli
The soft steamed rice cake, king of the Tamil breakfast.
dosai
Dosa
The crisp golden crepe loved across the world.
rotti
Bread; roti
Bread or flatbread; chapati and parotta are favorites.
kari
Curry; meat
Curry or meat — the Tamil word that gave English the word curry.
kozhi
Chicken
A chicken, or chicken meat.
meen
Fish
Fish — meen kuzhambu is a coastal classic.
muttai
Egg
An egg laid by a hen.
kaaikari
Vegetables
Plants grown for food.
pazham
Fruit
Sweet plant foods such as mangoes and bananas.
maampazham
Mango
The king of fruits; Salem mangoes are famous.
paal
Milk
A white drink; paal also flavors sweet payasam.
saaru
Juice
Fruit juice; also the thin rasam-like broth.
sarkkarai
Sugar
A sweet substance; Pongal is sweetened with jaggery.
uppu
Salt
A white seasoning; Gandhi's salt march ended at a Tamil shore? No — but uppu is history-laden.
kaalai unavu
Breakfast
The morning meal — idli, dosai, pongal, vadai!
madhiya unavu
Lunch
The midday meal, often a full banana-leaf spread.
iravu unavu
Dinner
The evening meal.
vimaana nilayam
Airport
A place where airplanes take off and land.
vimaanam
Airplane
A flying vehicle with wings and engines.
rayil
Train
A connected line of carriages that runs on rails.
nilayam
Station
A place where trains or buses stop for passengers.
perundhu
Bus
A large road vehicle; everyday Tamil just says bus.
aatto
Auto-rickshaw
The yellow three-wheeler buzzing through every Tamil town.
taaksi
Taxi
A car you pay to be driven somewhere in.
hottal
Hotel; restaurant
A hotel — in Tamil Nadu, hotel also means a restaurant!
unavagam
Restaurant
A place where you pay to eat, literally food place.
nagaram
City
A large town where many people live and work.
kiraamam
Village
A small settlement in the countryside.
saalai
Road; street
A way for vehicles and people.
paasport
Passport
An official document needed for traveling abroad.
tikket
Ticket
A piece of paper that allows you to travel or enter a place.
varaipadam
Map
A drawing showing streets, cities, or countries.
vangi
Bank
A place where people keep and borrow money.
sandhai
Market
A place where goods are sold; Koyambedu is Asia's biggest flower market.
kadarkarai
Beach
The seashore; Chennai's Marina is among the world's longest urban beaches.
sooriyan
Sun
The star that gives Earth light and warmth; honored at Pongal.
nilaa
Moon
The moon — nila nila odi vaa, the beloved lullaby.
natchathiram
Star
A point of light in the night sky; also means a film star.
vaanam
Sky
The space above the earth where clouds and stars appear.
kadal
Sea
The sea — ancient Tamils sailed it for trade two thousand years ago.
aaru
River
A river — the Kaveri is Tamil Nadu's lifeline; the same word means six.
malai
Mountain; hill
A mountain; the Nilgiris are the famous blue mountains.
kaadu
Forest
A large area covered with trees.
maram
Tree
A tall plant with a trunk, branches, and leaves.
poo
Flower
A flower; jasmine strings perfume every Tamil street.
mazhai
Rain
Rain — awaited, celebrated, and sung about in Tamil.
pani
Snow; mist; dew
Snow, frost, mist, or dew — the cold white family of words.
kaatru
Wind; air
Moving air, or the air itself.
vaanilai
Weather
The condition of the air, literally sky-state.
vilangu
Animal
A living creature such as a dog, bird, or fish.
puli
Tiger
The tiger — emblem of Tamil valor since Chola times.
udambu
Body
The whole physical structure of a person.
thalai
Head
The top part of the body; thalaivar means leader!
kan
Eye
The part of the body used for seeing; kanmani, eye's jewel, is an endearment.
kaadhu
Ear
The part of the body used for hearing.
mookku
Nose
The part of the face used for smelling and breathing.
vaai
Mouth
The part of the face used for eating and speaking.
kai
Hand; arm
The upper limb; Tamils traditionally eat with the right kai.
kaal
Leg; foot
The lower limb used for walking.
idhayam
Heart
The organ that pumps blood, also the seat of feeling.
mudi
Hair
The hair on a person's head; jasmine adorns it.
vayiru
Stomach; belly
The front part of the body below the chest.
maruthuvar
Doctor
A person trained to treat sick people.
maruthuvamanai
Hospital
A place where sick people are treated.
marundhu
Medicine
Something you take to treat an illness.
aarokkiyam
Health
The condition of the body and mind.
noi
Illness; disease
Sickness; noi illamal means free of illness.
velai
Work; job
A job, or the activity of working.
niruvanam
Company
A business organization that sells goods or services.
aluvalagam
Office
A room or building where people work at desks.
mudhalali
Boss; owner
The owner or boss at work.
saga oozhiyar
Colleague
A person you work with.
koottam
Meeting; crowd
A meeting — and also a crowd; context decides!
panam
Money
Coins and banknotes used to buy things.
sambalam
Salary
The money you receive regularly for your work.
kanini
Computer
An electronic machine; everyday Tamil also says computer.
tholaipesi
Telephone
A device used for calling, literally far-speaker; everyday Tamil says phone.
thozhil
Profession; industry
The type of work a person does, or industry.
thittam
Project; plan
A planned piece of work with a clear goal.
vaadikkaiyaalar
Customer
A person who buys goods or services regularly.
oppandham
Contract; agreement
A formal written agreement.
melaalar
Manager
The person who leads a company, shop, or team.
thozhirchaalai
Factory
A building where goods are made with machines.
kalaachaaram
Culture
The art, customs, and traditions of a society.
varalaaru
History
The study of past events; Chola, Pandya, and Pallava kingdoms shine in it.
mozhi
Language
A system of words; Tamil is among the world's oldest living languages.
puthagam
Book
Written pages bound together; the Thirukkural is the Tamil classic.
isai
Music
Music — from ancient Carnatic ragas to Ilaiyaraaja and Rahman.
thiraippadam
Movie
A film; Kollywood is Tamil cinema's world.
kalai
Art
Creative work; Bharatanatyam is the classical Tamil dance art.
arungaatchiyagam
Museum
A building where important objects and art are shown.
thiruvizha
Festival
A temple festival or celebration, with lights, music, and crowds.
pongal
Pongal
The Tamil harvest festival in January — and the sweet rice dish itself.
madham
Religion
Belief in and worship of a god or gods.
arasu
Government
The group of people who rule a state or country.
seidhi
News
Reports about recent events.
samoogam
Society
People living together in an organized community.
irukka
To be
To exist or to be somewhere.
vendum
To want; need
Expresses want or need; enakku vendum means I want.
pogha
To go
To move from one place to another.
vara
To come
To move toward the speaker or a place.
saappida
To eat
To eat; saappitiya — have you eaten — is a daily greeting of care.
kudikka
To drink
To take liquid into your mouth and swallow it.
paarkka
To see; to watch
To notice something with your eyes.
ketka
To listen; to ask
To hear or listen — and also to ask!
pesa
To speak
To say words, to talk.
padikka
To read; to study
To read or to study.
ezhutha
To write
To form letters and words; Tamil script curves to spare palm leaves.
vaanga
To buy
To get something by paying money; also the welcoming word — come!
virka
To sell
To give something in exchange for money.
seiya
To do; to make
To perform an action or create something.
velai seiya
To work
To do a job, literally to do work.
yosikka
To think
To use your mind to form ideas or opinions.
kaadhalikka
To love
To love romantically; kaadhal is the great theme of Tamil poetry.
pidikka
To like
To find something pleasant; enakku pidikkum means I like it.
karka
To learn
To gain knowledge; karka kasadara — learn flawlessly, says the Kural.
theriya
To know
To have knowledge; enakku theriyum means I know.
kodukka
To give
To hand something to someone.
edukka
To take
To pick something up or accept it.
theda
To look for
To try to find something.
udhava
To help
To make something easier for someone.
aarambikka
To begin
To start doing something.
mudikka
To finish
To bring something to an end.
thoonga
To sleep
To rest with your eyes closed at night.
utkaara
To sit
To rest on a seat.
nalla
Good
Of high quality or pleasant.
ketta
Bad
Of poor quality or morally bad.
periya
Big
Of great size; periyar means the great one.
siriya
Small
Of little size.
pudhiya
New
Recently made or bought.
pazhaiya
Old (things)
Having existed for a long time.
ilam
Young
Not old, in an early stage of life.
uyaramaana
Tall; high
Of great height.
kuttai
Short
Of little height.
neelamaana
Long
Of great length.
soodaana
Hot
Having a high temperature.
kulirndha
Cold; cool
Having a low temperature.
vegamaana
Fast
Moving or happening quickly.
medhuvaana
Slow
Moving or happening without speed.
vilai uyarndha
Expensive
Costing a lot of money.
malivaana
Cheap
Costing little money.
azhagaana
Beautiful
Very pleasing to look at; azhagu is beauty itself.
elidhaana
Easy
Not difficult to do or understand.
kadinamaana
Difficult; hard
Hard to do or understand.
mukkiyamaana
Important
Having great value or significance.
suthamaana
Clean
Free from dirt.
inippaana
Sweet
Sweet in taste; Tamil itself is praised as sweet — inimaiyaana Tamil.
enna
What
Used to ask about things; enna a famous Chennai hello too!
yaar
Who
Used to ask about people.
enge
Where
Used to ask about places.
eppodhu
When
Used to ask about time.
yen
Why
Used to ask about reasons.
eppadi
How
Used to ask about manner; eppadi irukkinga — how are you!
evvalavu
How much
Used to ask about quantity or price.
edhu
Which
Used to ask about a choice between things.
yaarudaiya
Whose
Used to ask about ownership.
-aa
Question suffix
Added to the end of a word to make a yes/no question — nalamaa?
veedu
House; home
A building where people live, or your home.
arai
Room
A space inside a building with its own walls.
samaiyalarai
Kitchen
The room where food is prepared.
kuliyalarai
Bathroom
The room for bathing.
padukkaiyarai
Bedroom
The room where you sleep.
kadhavu
Door
The entrance to a room or building.
jannal
Window
An opening in a wall with glass that lets in light.
mesai
Table
A piece of furniture with a flat top.
naarkaali
Chair
A seat with a back, literally four legs.
padukkai
Bed
A piece of furniture for sleeping.
udai
Clothes
Things you wear; the sari and veshti are classics.
seruppu
Footwear; sandals
Sandals or shoes; always left outside the temple and home.
saavi
Key
A metal object used to open locks.
kadigaaram
Clock; watch
A device that shows the time.
tholaikkaatchi
Television
A device for watching programmes, literally far-vision; everyday Tamil says TV.
vilakku
Lamp; light
A lamp — the oil kuthuvilakku lights every auspicious occasion.
pai
Bag
A container with handles for carrying things.
samaikka
To cook
To prepare food by heating it.
kadai
Shop
A place where goods are sold; the tea kadai is the social hub.
vaara irudhi
Weekend
The end of the week, Saturday and Sunday.
magizhchi
Happiness; joy
The feeling of being happy.
sogam
Sadness
The feeling of being unhappy.
kobam
Anger
The feeling of strong displeasure.
bayam
Fear
The feeling of being afraid.
sorvu
Tiredness
The state of needing rest.
pasi
Hunger
The need to eat; enakku pasikkudhu means I am hungry.
thaagam
Thirst
The need to drink.
kavalai
Worry
The feeling of being anxious; kavalai padaadhe — don't worry!
salippu
Boredom
The feeling that something is not interesting.
urchaagam
Excitement; enthusiasm
The feeling of eager energy.
aachariyam
Surprise
The feeling of wonder at something unexpected.
anbu
Love; affection
Love and kindness — anbu is the heart of Tamil culture.
nambikkai
Hope; trust
The feeling that something good will happen, and trust in others.